There is not going to be another Tim Duncan. Ever. That high-IQ, fundamentally sound game with sustained success throughout his career, the five rings, the two MVPs, the three Finals MVPs, the lifting of one small market franchise up to the summit of the game and keeping it there for 15 years, it’s an incredible legacy.

Nobody understands there is not going to be another Duncan like LaMarcus Aldridge.

“No, because I’m not trying to be Tim Duncan. I’m not trying to fill his shoes. No one is going to fill his shoes. First of all, he started there and he ended there. I’m not doing that. I didn’t start there. There’s no pressure, because I didn’t start there and I’m not trying to be him. My game is totally different than his.

“I never had any issues with it. I think the media blew it up more, like I’m trying to fill his spot and take his role. I was like, ‘No, I’m trying to be me.’ I feel like me being there with Pop in the system with the guys, I should be ok. That was what I was weighing: Go to Phoenix, be the face and the guy, or go to San Antonio and probably win sooner and be more blended in. That was my issue. And I was like, ‘If y’all want me to come here and average 12 or 13 points, that’s not who I am. I like scoring.’ They were like, ‘No, we want you to play in the system, but you scoring is needed here.’ Once I heard that, I was fine.”

It will be interesting to see how Aldridge’s need for touches and points plays out in the more team-first culture Duncan and Gregg Popovich have built. They do need his scoring, but it’s also about the threat of Aldridge’s scoring that opens up shots for everyone. He has to buy into that team concept for it all to work (and I expect he will).

With that, Aldridge’s scoring may take a slight dip — he will command double teams in the post (and at the elbow, and a lot of other places) and when he passes out of that the Spurs will whip the ball to an open shooter. He’s not just getting a re-post.

What Aldridge brings is an upgrade of Tiago Splitter, a player who can protect the paint and play good defense, and then on the other end scores inside and opens everything up. Aldridge can also pick-and-pop with Tony Parker (and Manu Ginobili). He can knock down midrange fadeaways. There are a lot of options.

Al Horford will be a free agent next summer, but he’s already shut down speculation about his future. He isn’t going to talk about it until after the season. In a wide-ranging interview with Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated, Horford reiterated his stance, but added that he’s happy with the Hawks:

For me, I’m very happy in Atlanta. It’s one of those things where I don’t want any contract talks to be a distraction for my team and me. I feel like my focus this year is for us to build and be better. Since we can’t do anything right now, we’ll wait until the season’s over and then we can start talking about all that.

Horford also spoke about the importance of re-signing Paul Millsap, which the team did in July, and the overall continuity of the Hawks’ roster:

SI.com: How big was it for the Hawks to be able to keep Paul Millsap?

Horford: It was very important. I think that was the priority for us, to make sure we brought Paul back. Being able to add Tiago Splitter and Tim Hardaway, really was big. Unfortunately, we lost DeMarre [Carroll, who signed long-term with Toronto]—he’s such a great player, but it was the type of thing he couldn’t turn down, and it’s what’s best for him and his family.

SI.com: Was there a sense going into the offseason that you’d only be able to keep one out of Paul and DeMarre?

Horford: I honestly thought there was a chance we’d be able to keep them both. But it just didn’t work out that way. I’m happy for DeMarre, but I’m happy for us, being able to keep Paul, he’s such an important part of what we do. Just his versatility. He makes the game easier for all of us.

SI.com: How critical is keeping that continuity with the core players, especially with the style you guys play?

Horford: I feel like we’ve built chemistry, we trust each other and it’s important to have the same group of guys. This was our first full season, all of us together playing under the system. In coach [Mike Budenholzer]’s first year [2013–14] I was injured. So I’m looking forward to this season to keep building on what we have.

The Hawks had their most successful season in franchise history in 2014-15, winning 60 games and making the Eastern Conference Finals. With the exception of Carroll, the core is returning, and they’ve made some nice additions of role players. Whether they’ll be able to replicate their regular-season success from last year or not, they’re still in the mix as contenders in the East. And as long as that’s true, they remain the favorites to keep Horford next summer.

Brazil’s men’s and women’s national teams will compete in the Olympic Basketball Tournament at the 2016 Rio Games after FIBA’s Central Board decided to grant them automatic places at its meeting in Tokyo on Sunday.

The decision was made based on the Brazil Basketball Confederation (CBB)’s application which confirms they meet the various sporting requirements, including having a rich sporting history in basketball and being able to guarantee their best teams competing in Rio.

CBB, supported by its partners and the Brazil Olympic Committee (BOC), has made a firm commitment to pay the outstanding debt.

According to FIBA’s statutes, the Central Board holds the right to grant automatic qualification to the host country organising the Olympic Games.

This is obviously great news for Brazil. Nene, Tiago Splitter, Anderson Varejao, Leandro Barbosa, Lucas Nogueira and Bruno Caboclo can definitely compete for a medal.

It’s also great news for the other teams competing in the FIBA Americas Championship:

Canada

Argentina

Puerto Rico

Dominican Republic

Venezuela

Mexico

Panama

Cuba

Uruguay

The top two teams in that tournament, which begins Aug. 31, that haven’t already received an Olympic bid qualify for Rio. With Brazil gaining an Olympic berth now, that opens the door for another team in the FIBA Americas.

Sykes is quick and explosive, and he uses those skills well to get the basket and pester opponents defensively. But he also has to maximize his athleticism, because he’s just 6-foot and not a good outside shooter.

He’ll have a tough time making the team, because the Spurs are loaded at point guard with Tony Parker, Patty Mills and Ray McCallum. All three already have fully guaranteed salaries. Most likely, Sykes gets waived and has his D-League rights assigned to San Antonio’s affiliate, the Austin Spurs.

Still, San Antonio’s roster instability gives Sykes at least a chance to make a strong impression and land a spot on the parent club.

Last month, FIBA, basketball’s international ruling body, set a deadline of July 31 for the Brazilian Basketball Federation to pay “significant outstanding dues” to FIBA “in order to be granted automatic qualification places for Rio 2016.”

FIBA did not explain what the unpaid dues were for, or exactly how much money was owed – estimates suggest it could be $1-million. That, of course, is a fraction of the $12-billion or so that Brazil’s organizing committee is spending to stage the Games.

Earlier this year, according to a FIBA spokesman, CBB proposed to repay the debt on a schedule extending to 2019. FIBA said no, and set the deadline. Its spokesman explained by e-mail: “A solution needs to be found by [July 31, 2015] so that all participating teams know the qualification process for the Olympic Games and the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.”

Most likely, Brazil will just pay these dues. But if this matter remains unresolved, Brazil could potentially still qualify for the Olympics through other means.

Brazil is scheduled to compete in the FIBA Americas Championship next month, though perhaps FIBA would block Brazil’s inclusion based on these unpaid dues. The top two teams in the tournament qualify for the Olympics, and the U.S. – Olympic berth already clinched – isn’t competing. With several NBA players to draw upon – Nene, Tiago Splitter, Anderson Varejao, Leandro Barbosa, Lucas Nogueira and Bruno Caboclo – Brazil would be a strong contender.

But if Brazil needs to use one of the FIBA Americas’ two qualifying slots, that closes a door for the other nine teams in the tournament:

Canada

Argentina

Puerto Rico

Dominican Republic

Venezuela

Mexico

Panama

Cuba

Uruguay

Safe to say, these other North and South American teams are rooting for Brazil to settle with FIBA.